Aaron Rodgers

December 2, 1983 was the day the great NFL star, Aaron Charles Rodgers was born. In the quiet Sacramental valley north of Chico, California, Aaron Rodger found himself between his two brothers, Luke and Jordan. Their father, Ed was a chiropractor but had a history of playing football and earning all-conference honors at Chico State. Aaron Rodger’s mother was a dancer. It is now evident where the great player acquired his nimble feet. All through his childhood, Aaron Rodgers grew alongside his two brothers. He loved football; obsessed is a better word to describe that love.

When he was only three, he would sit through a complete football game and get bubbly when he saw San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana make the pitch a wonderland. He was able to learn formations at the age of five and would use his home-made pitch, a hanging tire to practice his newly acquired football skills. With his two brothers always pushing him with the spirit of competition, Aaron Rodgers did everything to defeat them. All of Mr. Ed’s sons loved football but the father would not allow them play until high school. In spite of this regulation, Rodger’s love for football discovered a loophole. He would organize games at recess and play Little League baseball. Though he had a scrawny body, he used it advantageously. During warm-ups, he would lob the ball as the opposing teams watched to lure them into thinking that he was a soft spot. As soon as the game started, he would unleash his fastball.

All through his high school and college life, Aaron Rodger’s love was football. It was not easy for him though, mainly because of his size. Being a 185 pound, six-foot-one young man would not get him easy entry as a quarterback. Most colleges preferred larger sizes. This led to him almost giving up football in 2001. Luckily, Craig Rigsbee, the Butte Community College football coach asked him to join his team. It is there that he built his body and skills and his potential was proved. He led the Roadrunners to a 10-1 record in 2002. That was his first season there. Later, University of Chicago offered him a scholarship. He set many records including a 10-1 regular-season record while he was still in junior year.

After his junior year, Rodgers was listed as a top-five pick to enter the 2005 NFL draft. He had to forgo his senior year as the Green Bay Packers selected him as the 24th draft pick. During that year and the following season, he did not play much. It was not until the 2007 season that his name slipped the tongues of many when he took over from Favre who had an injury. The Packers were down by 17, and it was the second quarter. Aaron Rodgers completed 18 passes, cutting the deficit to three points, but not lucky enough to pull out a win.

During the first game in 2008, Rodgers took his place as quarterback. He delivered a 24-19 win, passing for 178 yards. The following week was a good one too, as Rodgers passed for 328 yards and 3 touchdowns, besting the Detroit Lions. Through a lot of questioning about his ability to fill Favre’s shoes, Rodgers trudged through the season. The Packers however recorded a 6-10 defeat making 2008 a losing season.

He faced the 2009 season with a lot of hope. The first game of the season was tough. Packers were trailing behind the Chicago Bears and the clock was quickly ticking away. However, Aaron Rodgers managed to pull through and deliver a 21-15 victory. The Green Bay Packers finished the season with an 11-5 record. During the 2010 season, Rodgers and the Packers delivered a 10-6 regular season record. When the playoff started, he completed 71% of his passes and brought victories over the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bulls. These victories earned him his first Super Bowl appearance. He passed for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns, delivering a 31-25 win over the Pittsburg Steelers. His ability to follow Favre’s footsteps was becoming evident. His performance also earned him Super Bowl MVP honors.

In the first 13 straight games during the 2011 season, the Packers recorded victories. They lost once to the Kansas City Chiefs in their 15th week. Heading into the playoff, things were not as usual. They were beaten 20-37 by the Giants, making their hopes of a second Super Bowl appearance faded. They had an early exit from the playoffs, but Rodgers maintained the all-time NFL pass rate record of 122.5. He also set new records for passing yards, interception percentage, touchdown passes and more.

The 2012 season was a good time for the Packers. Rodgers led them to set an 11-5 record through the regular season. He also recorded the first home playoff victory when they played against the Minnesota Vikings with a 12-5 win. Aaron Rodgers was signed to a 5-year, $110 million (the highest in history) contract extension in 2013. He was pressured up to take his team back to the Super Bowl and took the challenge with great enthusiasm. Unfortunately, he suffered a collarbone when playing against the Chicago Bears in week 9. On his return to the field, he helped the Packers to bag a 33-28 win and a trip to another playoff game.

Aaron Rodgers entered the 2014 season in good health, focusing on making a return to form. His leadership saw the Packers set a 12-4 record. They recorded a 26-21 against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs and earned a berth in the NFC Championship where they played against the Seattle Seahawks. They Packers lost to the Super Bowl champion however.